Moving On
by Live Fast Die Never
Summary: [Claire wondered what she would say, that was why they had come after all, to make peace with Charlie’s death, to say something to him as a closure. Something neither of them had gotten.] CC ClaireLiamFriendship


---

_Claire stared off into the ocean waiting to see if Charlie would ever come, they were waiting for the helicopters to come, and she was beginning to worry that Charlie would miss them. Just then she saw Desmond paddling in the small boat that they had gone out in, but Claire didn't see Charlie anywhere._

_When Desmond finally got to shore she ran over hoping that Charlie had just been sleeping in the boat, after all, it would have been exhausting._

"_Desmond, where is Charlie?" she asked as she rushed over to the boat followed by many others who were, no doubt, waiting to congratulate Charlie._

_Desmond watched her sadly and looked over into the boat. Claire finally reached him and looked in the boat like Desmond had, she froze._

_People began to gasp and some began to cry, but Claire was frozen._

"_I'm sorry." Desmond said as he placed a hand on her shoulder._

_She walked forwards carefully, past Desmond and knelt down next to the boat where Charlie's body lay. She grasped his hand and sat watching him for a long time before she began to cry silently, tears dripping down her face and falling onto his soaked shirt._

---

Claire Littleton smiled as her five-year-old son hurried out the car door and ran to the front door of the large house. He stopped part way up the sidewalk and turned back to his mother.

"Come on Mum!" He called to her, "I want to see Uncle Liam!"

She sighed and got out the car and locked it after closing Aaron's door and walked up to him grabbing his small hand, "Alright let's go."

Aaron pulled his mother along until he reached the front door and stood on his toes to reach the doorbell, and then waited impatiently for someone to answer. Soon enough, Karen Pace, who looked like she had been cooking due to the oven mitts she had on, opened the door. Aaron ran in and hugged her waist, Karen smiled brightly and leaned down to hug him back.

"Wow, you've grown so much and it's only been what… three months?" She said and smiled as the young boy nodded proudly.

"My mum says I'm having a growth spurt." He told her with a grin.

"Are you ever…" Claire mumbled, and smiled at Karen. "How are you?"

Karen hugged her, "Oh, I'm fine darling, how are you?"

"I'm alright." Claire answered, "A little bit tired out by this one." She said as she mussed up Aaron's hair.

Karen laughed and nodded, "I know what you mean."

"Where's Uncle Liam?" Aaron asked impatiently, "He told me that next time I visit he'd teach me how to get… um… birds, I think. I don't know what he meant but I want to catch birds!"

Claire laughed a bit at what Aaron had interpreted Liam's words to be.

Karen sighed, "Well, you and Uncle Liam might have to talk about that. He's out in the back sweetie."

"Thanks Aunt Karen." He said and rushed out the door.

---

"_Charlie Pace was in the band DriveSHAFT before the crash," Jack explained trying to hold back his own tears to get through what he was saying, "He would talk about his band to anyone that would listen…" He paused for a second seeming to think back to some memories of Charlie. "He was always eager to help, he wanted to be included… and he always had the best intentions in mind, and would do anything for the people he cared about… I think that his final act was an example of that." Jack took a deep breath, "Charlie was a hero and there is no one in this world that could ever convince me otherwise." He stepped back, "If anyone else has something to say…"_

_Hurley was the first to step up, "Charlie was really cool. He was fun to kind of joke around with and that was nice to have… you know, in this place." He sighed, "He was my friend, and I knew I could trust him." He started to get a little teary and start to choke a bit on his words, "I… I'm gone miss him, a lot." He stepped back unable to say much more about his friend._

_To many peoples surprise Sawyer started to speak, "Well, I gotta say that I've got a lot of respect for the kid, not that I'd ever tell 'em." He exhaled deeply, "He was a honesty guy and he went out there tah save us even knowin' that he was gonna die." He seemed as if he was going to stop for a second, but he continued. "Rest In Peace Charlie."_

_Kate looked over at Sawyer and smiled slightly and then turned to Charlie's grave, "I remember back on the first day when Jack and I were going out to find the pilot, he came. He could make me laugh and I remember early on we would talk a lot, he was a good friend." She took a deep breath holding in her tears, "I'll miss him…" She trailed off unable to finish as she started to cry, Sawyer put and arm around her and she leaned into him._

"_Would else like to say something?" Jack asked quietly._

_Desmond stepped forward, "I was with him, when he died." He took a deep breath, "Charlie, was a hero. He died to make sure all of us could live on… an' he didn't have tah die… he chose to." Desmond looked down then looked right at Claire, "He chose to save those he loved."_

_Claire stared at Desmond for a long time and Desmond nodded to Jack showing that he was done._

"_Claire?" Jack asked, "Did you want to"-_

"_No." She said suddenly, and looked at Jack. It was the first thing she had said since Charlie had died. "No."_

---

Claire sighed, "I love what you've done with the place, it's changed so much."

Karen nodded, "Yes, the last few months we've spent decorating and renovating. We need room for one more."

Claire smiled hugely at Karen, "Are you serious? Another one?"

Karen nodded with a grin, "Liam and I are so happy!"

"Congratulations." Claire said with a smile, "That's wonderful."

Just then a little blonde girl rushed into the house, "Auntie Claire!" She cried out and quickly hugged the Australian.

"It's nice to see you too Megan!" She said with a smile.

Megan pulled back and looked up at the older woman, "Did you come for my birthday?" She questioned.

"Your birthday?" Claire questioned, pretending to be oblivious and then laughed seeing Megan's shocked expression, "Of course."

Megan grinned, "Good, we're having cake and ice cream and I'm having all of my friends over tomorrow!"

"Alright Megan, why don't we go into the backyard. I'm sure Auntie Claire would like to say hello to your father." Karen told her daughter with a smile, and watched as the young girl sped off calling for them to follow.

---

_Desmond walked over to Claire's tent; it had been a day since Charlie had been buried. He walked in and smiled sadly at her, "Good morning."_

_She just nodded and looked down._

_He appeared to notice that any small talk would be wasted on her and he began to speak again, "I've got something for you."_

_She looked up at him curiously and he took it as a sign to continue._

"_Charlie… he wrote this before he died." Desmond explained as he took a piece of paper out of his pocket. "Before he dived into the water, he told me to give it to you…"_

_Claire watched the piece of paper curiously._

_Desmond sighed, "He told me tha' it was the five best memories of his life." He smiled down at it sadly, "He called 'hem his greatest hits." He extended the hand he held it in to Claire, "it's a bit hard to read, I'm sorry tha's my fault."_

_She carefully took it from his hands and stared at it in her own._

_Desmond looked off and then turned back to Claire, "he loved you Claire… tha's why he went, to save you." When Claire didn't respond he took it as a sign to leave and turned away._

"_Thank you." Claire said quietly to him._

_Desmond turned to see Claire with tears in her eyes, "Your welcome."_

---

Claire walked into the backyard with Karen and grinned over at Liam when she saw him.

"Claire!" He said and rushed over to envelope her in a bear hug.

Claire smiled, "Nice to see you too Liam."

Liam pulled away, "Karen, could you watch the kids for a bit? Claire and I have a bit of catching up to do."

"Of course." Karen answered without a second thought, "You two go inside, have a cup of tea or something. I'll watch these little monster." She said teasingly and was quickly protested by Megan and Aaron.

---

_He had died four months ago; they had been saved one month ago. Claire stood in the graveyard watching as the ceremony for Charlie went on. There was a man who stood talking about Charlie, it didn't seem right that he should be as he didn't know Charlie. Claire looked down sadly; it seemed to make more sense when Jack spoke for Charlie._

_When the ceremony finally ended she saw a young man with many people crowded around giving their condolences. The man looked like Charlie, a bit older and taller. She assumed that he was Liam._

_Claire walked over and waited for a time when she would be able to give her own condolences. When she finally was able to speak with him, she couldn't look him in the eye. "I'm sorry for your loss." She told him quietly._

_Liam nodded, "How did you know Charlie?" he questioned quietly._

"_I was on the plane with him." She answered, "After it crashed he helped me a lot with my pregnancy and taking care of my child."_

_Liam looked at the baby in her arms and smiled, but didn't say another word._

"_Charlie left me something that I think you should have." Claire said quietly._

_He looked at her curiously, "What?"_

_She bit her lip, "Well, he actually left it for Aaron, but… you should have." She took a chain off of her neck and held it out to him. On it was a ring with the letters 'DS' on it. "He told me that it was passed on to your first born… it seemed only right that you should take it."_

_Liam looked at her and shook his head, "It's your lads."_

"_But"- She began finally looking up at him._

"_If Charlie passed it on to your son, that means that he consider him to be his son." Liam sighed, "What's your name?"_

"_Claire Littleton." She answered, "My son is Aaron…"_

_Liam nodded, "Claire, would you like to come over to my house, for a cup of tea maybe?"_

_Claire watched him strangely, "Why would you want to invite me."_

"_My brother gave your son that ring. That means that you were his family, to him at least." Liam explained, "I want to know my brothers family, Claire."_

_Claire stared at him for a long while then said, "I'd like some tea."_

---

Claire and Liam left and went to sit down in the living room. Claire sat down on the large couch and a moment later Liam sat odwn next to her. They sat for a while in silence until Liam began to speak quietly.

"How are you coping?"

Claire looked down at her fidgeting hands, "I don't know."

"It's hard to believe it's been five years." Liam said, "five whole years and I still am waiting for him to walk in the door uninvited or expected."

Claire nodded, "It's like he's not gone… or shouldn't be."

Liam sighed and sat forward on his seat, "I'm not sure what I would have done if we hadn't met at his funeral Claire."

"Yeah, I guess I need someone to visit regularly… just to wallow in grief." She groaned, "I feel so pathetic."

"Why?" Liam questioned, "It's normal to be grieving."

"I only knew him for three months and I've been grieving for five years!" She explained and felt tears in her eyes, "I just… I don't know Liam. I feel like I should have been able to move on, and I can't." She looked up at the ceiling as tears began to spill from her eyes.

Liam didn't reply for a very longtime. He watched the wall in front of him as Claire cried silently beside him. He tried to keep a neutral face but anyone who looked at him could see that he was filled with grief and sadness.

He finally spoke his voice was quiet and hoarse, "I think we need to go to his grave."

"What?" Claire questioned looking over at Liam.

Liam continued to stare forward, "I think we need to go to his grave." He repeated.

Claire looked down at the ground, "I can't go back there… it's too hard."

"Maybe," Liam began "That's why you need to go back."

Claire exhaled deeply, "It seems so huge."

Liam finally turned to face her, "It's moving on."

---

_Claire walked out of her room fully dressed and walked down the stairs to see Karen already making breakfast for Aaron and Megan. _

"_Good morning Karen." She greeted the taller woman._

_Karen looked over and smiled, "Good morning Claire!"_

"_What are you making?" Claire asked looking over to the stove where Karen had been cooking._

"_Pancakes." Karen answered and then chuckled, "Or as your lad has been calling them, pan-a-cakes."_

_Claire laughed and sighed sitting at the table between Megan and Aaron._

_Karen groaned then turned to Claire, "Do you think you could watch those two, I need to go grab something from the cellar."_

"_Yeah, no problem." Claire said and smiled over at Megan, "So, anything new with you?"_

"_You know what's new!" Megan complained with a grin._

_Claire grinned back, "Well, I can't help it if I'm around all the time! Did you want me to leave?"_

"_You can't leave." Megan explained as if it were common knowledge, "You live here."_

_Claire smiled and laughed, "Well, I'm going to move out sometime honey. I've already lived here for two years, that's a little long."_

_Megan nodded and smiled, "Yeah, but you're going to come and visit. You're family."_

"_What?" Claire questioned a little bit shocked by the last part._

_Megan sighed, "Daddy was told me that you were Uncle Charlie's family. That means that you're my Auntie and Aaron is my cousin. And family always visits and always loves each other. I love Aaron even if he's boring."_

_Claire smiled at Megan and nodded, "That's right." She grinned at Megan, "So I guess I have to love you then."_

_Megan giggled at Claire's comment, "That's mean Auntie Claire."_

_Claire grinned at Megan as she heard 'Auntie Claire' it seemed so natural to the five-year-old girl. She wrapped an arm around Megan and pulled her close into a hug. "I'm just joking, I'd love you even if I didn't have to."_

---

Claire stood in front of the tombstone and then turned her head to look up at Liam, "Do I go first or do you?"

"I don't know." Liam answered as he turned his own head to look at her. "I guess whoever feels more… ready."

Claire nodded and looked back at the tombstone. Once again silence took over, Claire and Liam simply watched the tombstone. Claire wondered what she would say, that was why they had come after all, to make peace with Charlie's death, to say something to him as a closure. Something neither of them had gotten.

"I'm sorry." Liam said, for a moment Claire thought he might have been talking to her, but then he stepped forwards towards Charlie's tombstone. "I wasn't the best brother, especially when we were in the band. When we were younger I wouldn't always be the kindest to you, and I would pressure you into doing stupid things… but we were just kids, and we were genuinely friends back then." He exhaled deeply and looked down at the ground, "When we were in the band, you were amazing baby brother, you had a talent that no one could ever replace. When we got big, you were the one they all should've been talking about, you were the one who should have gotten the recognition, because I just sang Charlie, and I wasn't even that good. You were the one, and I'm sorry that I didn't let you in on the spotlight, I'm sorry for being the one that introduced you to drugs." His eyes began to fill with unshed tears, "I've always regretted that, more than anything in the world. I'm sorry that I left you, you never would have left me… you wouldn't have sold anything of mine even if it were a toothpick but I sold you're piano, and even if it was to get into rehab it doesn't matter because I hurt you." Tears were now spilling down his cheeks, "I always loved you baby brother, and I always will. I hope that you will finally find peace, after everything I put you through you deserve it. Goodbye." He stepped back beside Claire and wiped the tears from his eyes.

Claire took a deep breath, it was now her turn, and she stepped forward carefully. "Charlie, I remember back when we first met I was feeling really hopeless and I was scared… then you came and gave me a blanket and you made me feel safe. You always made me feel safe. You weren't strong like Jack or Sawyer, but just being near you… I felt like I couldn't be hurt." She wrapped her arms around herself, "When Ethan took me and you I remember when he hung you… I was so scared Charlie. The second your heart stopped beating I could have sworn that mine did too. When I came back you shot Ethan for me, I didn't remember you Charlie but I trusted you." She looked down and bit her lip as tears began to fall from her eyes, "After Aaron was born you took care of him and loved him like your own son. And when I kicked you out I had never felt lonelier in my life. You hurt me and betrayed me… but I still trusted you, because you were you." She let out a large sob, "When I found out that Desmond kept seeing you die, I wanted to go everywhere with you, just to keep you safe. Whenever we weren't to together I was so scared for you… in the end, I couldn't do anything to save you. I couldn't keep you safe like you had always kept me safe." She let out another loud sob and more tears rushed down her cheeks, "I love you Charlie, and I'm sorry that I never told you…" She took a bit of break and breathed deeply calming herself, "You were our family, mine and Aaron's. You will always be our family. I just wish you could be here now to be enjoying the time with us." She watched his tombstone for a moment longer, "Goodbye Charlie." She turned back to Liam he nodded to her.

They walked out in silence, both of them finally able to find solace in their thoughts. They were finally able to accept that Charlie was never coming back.

After five long years they were able to move on.

* * *

**Author's Note:** Alright, so this is my third LOST fanfiction, also my third CC fic. Amazing how that works out. Anyways, I wrote this story because I firgured that Liam would also be the kind of person to have trouble moving on and letting go. Espcially because of the way things ended between him and Charlie. And Claire I find to be the kind of person to harbour her feelings, so she would have been greiving for Charlie but never letting it out, never finding closure. So, of course, I thought that they could met up and grieve together! Well, learn how to move on. 

Also, I didn't know Megan's exact age so I just made her three years older than Aaron.

And, in this story I said that Aaron pronouced pancakes 'pan-a-cakes'. That is a bit of a shout out to my little sister, who is seven and will probably never read this. She always says 'pan-a-cakes' and it's pretty cute.

R&R  
Live Fast Die Never


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